


Moon Walk

by puskababy



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Male Friendship, Sickfic, Starfleet Academy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-12
Updated: 2013-08-12
Packaged: 2017-12-23 05:18:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/922456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puskababy/pseuds/puskababy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bones gets sick during a space walk. Jim does his best to comfort him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moon Walk

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully I got the Starfleet stuff right. Having loads of fun with this fandom. :)

“I don’t know how I let you talk me into this” 

Jim Kirk smiled impishly at his best friend. Leonard, or Bones as he frequently called him, had a fantastic ability to be over dramatic. 

“Oh come on Bones, it’ll be fun”

Bones rolled his eyes. “How many times have I told you not to call me that? And besides, what part of walking around in space sounds like a good time to you? Oh right, I forgot you actually like doing this sort of thing”

Jim grinned again. “I do. Come on, you want to be a CMO one day? Then you need to learn how to walk in space. I promise you, it’ll be a valuable asset to your career”

“Jim you seem to forget I already have a full schedule this year. I don’t have time to take a 6 week advanced course on this”

“Bones why are you saying this now? If you’d wanted to get out of it that badly, you’ve had ample time to do that. We signed up for this course months ago”

Bones sighed and rolled his eyes as he followed Jim to the hanger bay. Jim knew Bones had a full plate this year, but he really felt like this advanced course would benefit them both. After all they both wanted to be on board a starship one day, and said ships operated in space. What good would they be if they couldn’t perform a basic space walk?

“Might I remind you at this time that I’m highly aviophobic?”

Jim frowned and spun around so that he walked backward next to his friend. 

“Say again?”

Bones sighed. “Aviophobia is an intense fear of flying. Just the thought of being up there in space is terrifying”

Jim’s eyes widened. In all their years of friendship he hadn’t known Leonard was frightened of flying. Huh. 

“Might I remind you that Starfleet operates in space?”

“I know that kid, once I’m up there I’m sure I’ll be fine”

Jim nodded and turned around as they reached the hanger, flashing a cocky grin that swiftly turned to awe as they stepped inside and caught sight of the various shuttle -crafts stationed there. As a 3rd year student he knew his time at the Academy was coming to an end – his advanced test scores and excellent academic ability had put him on the fast track to an early graduation. Bones too. He would miss this place, but was eager to start his career. 

“Wow” he muttered under his breath as they made their way to a small group of cadets, led by the course leader Commander Taft. They signed in. 

“Right. Now that everyone is here we’ll head on out to the Flight range. As many of you know, Starfleet Academy’s flight range operates on a moon of Saturn. It’s only a short shuttle- craft ride, and we’ll be passing by one of the many fleet bases out there. Get a good look everyone, because for some of you, that’ll be your future. This way” Taft strode purposefully toward the nearest craft. 

They all piled in, and Jim peered eagerly out the small window as the craft rose and headed toward the stratosphere. 

“I think I’d rather sit in the bathroom” Bones muttered beside him, his knuckles white as he gripped the armrest of the chair. 

“Hey, it’s ok. Try thinking about something else. Try your coursework or that girl I saw you chatting up the other day. What’s her name?”

“Raina” Bones supplied. 

Jim latched on to the tidbit. “Tell me about her. What’s her major?”

“Xenolinguistics. She wants to be on a starship, like us”

“Really? That’s great. Are you gonna take her on a date?”

Bones frowned. “No I don’t think so”

“Why not? She was into you man, I saw the way she was looking at you”

Bones shook his head, and Jim was relieved to see the colour in his cheeks returning. His distraction technique seemed to be working. 

“I’m too busy”

“Bullshit. There’s always time for girls”

Bones rolled his eyes. “Yes well I think every female cadet has been in your dorm at some stage. We don’t all have the wily charms of one James T Kirk do we?”

Jim buffed his fingernails on his shirt. “Thankfully not: otherwise I’d never get a look in. I’m willing to impart my wisdom on you at any time. All you need do is ask”

“Shut up”

Jim laughed and went back to staring out the window as they made their way to the flight range. It was amazing being up here: he couldn’t wait to get out there. Bones would be ok, he always was. 

Once the craft had docked at the flight range the group made their way to another hanger where they were briefed on that day’s exercises. They were to don an environmental suit, or EV, and take a few steps outside the pressurised dome on the bare surface of the moon. Mind-blowing stuff. 

The suits themselves were a little bulky and kinda dorky, but Jim would forgo his image in order to remain alive. The EV suit was fully pressurised, with sealant capabilities, which meant that if at any time there was a puncture, the suit would automatically close up and keep the occupant alive. Maybe he should mention that to Bones, well not the puncture bit but…ah well. 

Once Jim was in his suit he stomped over to where Bones was similarly suiting up. 

“Pretty nifty huh” he said, inspecting the oxygen tubes on the back of his helmet. There was also a transmitter that allowed them to talk to each other once they were in space. Since there was no gravity outside the pressurised dome, they would be tethered by a cable to the ground. Other than that, they were free. 

“Fantastic” Bones mumbled, looking a little pale. 

Once the small cadre of cadets was appropriately attired, Commander Taft marched them over to a small building and briefed them about what to expect once they stepped outside the airlock. Jim listened raptly before taking his place in the line. 

One by one each cadet had their moment in free space, taking a few measured steps and moving about, generally getting the feel of what it was like to be in space, outside the confines of a ship. Jim knew this was a valuable lesson for him, after all he planned on captaining a ship, so he had to get used to moving around in the suit. Not every planet they visited had an atmosphere compatible with humans. 

When his turn came he went through all the security and safety checks before eagerly stepping out on the surface of Saturn’s moon. The first thing that hit him was the silence, the only thing he could hear was the sound of his own breathing and he knew it would be an horrific way to die. It was cold too, although his EV suit kept his body at an acceptable temperature, he could still feel the slight change in temp. 

He performed his task admirably, taking several steps at an even and measured pace before making his way back to the group, stumbling a little as his feet hit safe ground. A few of his other friends clapped him on the back as he pulled off his helmet, moving off to the side so get out of the suit. 

“You’ll do great. It’s like floating” he told Bones as the other man went to take his turn. 

After he’d slipped out of his suit he watched Bones go through the task, grinning when he saw him flash the thumbs up sign. He was doing fine. 

Well Jim thought he was doing fine, but when Bones came back on deck the other man was pale and wan, beads of perspiration clinging to his forehead. After a few strict words from Taft, Bones quickly stepped out of his suit and almost ran to the small bathroom, having neither the time nor the energy to speak to Jim. Weird. 

“Cadet Kirk, go and see if Cadet McCoy is alright” Taft called as she turned her attention to the remaining students. 

Slightly concerned now Jim headed to the small lavatory, ignoring the titters of the group behind him. They made his skin prickle in fierce protectiveness, but he knew now wasn’t the time for a fight. He needed to see if Bones was ok. 

“Bones?” he called softly as he stepped through the door. The line of five cubicles in front of him was unoccupied, save for the one at the end. 

“You know statistically speaking, the toilet at the end is the one with most germs on it. Studies have shown that people tend to avoid the first one, for unknown reasons, and go directly to the last…therefore leaving more germs…”

“Shut up Jim” 

Jim stopped outside the last cubicle, knocking lightly on the door. 

“Bones open up. Are you alright?”

“Fantastic. Now get lost” Bones sounded aggravated, and also kind of…weird. Thick and congested and not at all like his usual self. 

“Please open the door. I’m sorry I made fun. I’m worried” Jim said softly. 

After a moment the door opened and Jim slipped inside. Bones was kneeling in front of the toilet looking absolutely miserable. Pale and sweaty, it was obvious he wasn’t well. 

“Are you ok?” Jim asked, sitting beside him. It was a tight fit in the small space, but he managed. 

Bones sighed and wiped his face. “Motion sickness. Who get’s motion sickness from space walking?”

“Apparently you do. Seriously though, you have to know you’re not the first one to suffer from it. You’ve taken the Earth History class haven’t you?”

“Yeah”

Jim scooted closer and wrapped an arm around his friend. “I’m sorry I made you sign up for this class”

“It’s ok, it’s not the first time you’ve made me sick” Bones said wryly, and without malice. 

Jim smiled gently. “I promise it won’t be the last”

They sat in silence for a while, Jim offering his silent support, and Bones soaking it up like a sponge. It wasn’t often their roles were reversed, Jim was usually the one in need of comfort, but Jim liked it. He liked looking after his friend. 

“You feeling ok now?”

Bones nodded and cleared his throat. “They’re all going to laugh at me”

“No they wont. They all know what a great doctor you are, they wouldn’t be game” Jim reassured him. 

“Thanks Jim” 

“Come on, we don’t want to get left behind up here” he joked as they scrambled off the floor. 

Bones shot him a dirty look as he washed his hands and rinsed his mouth. 

“I’m kidding. Come on sawbones”

Bones rolled his eyes as they stepped out into the main dome. “I told you not to call me that"


End file.
